The Pittsburgh Steelers did not designate any of their eligible injured reserve players to return to practice this week, meaning CB Cory Trice Jr., CB Donte Kent, and QB Will Howard will have to wait at least another week to return to the field. Placed on injured reserve ahead of Week 1, the trio was eligible to practice coming off the Steelers’ Week 5 bye. Pittsburgh could’ve designated one, two, or all three of them to open their 21-day window.
Instead, the only Saturday moves the Steelers made were to sign rookie WR Ke’Shawn Williams to the 53-man roster and add EDGE K.J. Henry to the practice squad. Opening windows for injured players typically occur on Wednesday and Friday at the latest. Nonetheless, Pittsburgh officially goes its first week without doing so for its eligible injured reserve players.
All three were injured during training camp. Trice went down during the team’s Friday Night Lights practice and did not return the rest of camp or preseason. While he saw light work shortly before final cutdowns, Pittsburgh placed him on IR as it trimmed its roster from 90 to 53. He was the lone Steeler placed on IR that day, automatically passing him through IR without ever counting against the 53-man roster. The move also counted him as one of the team’s allotted eight-to-return players, even though his window hasn’t officially been opened.
Howard suffered a freak hand injury during a training camp practice. While taking a snap from under center, he broke a bone on his throwing hand. He failed to play in any of the team’s preseason games, spoiling a good start to training camp. Since landing on injured reserve, he’s been kept busy by the coaching staff and Aaron Rodgers assigning him special projects each week. He has also resumed throwing on the side.
Kent injured his right foot/ankle early in training camp and wore a walking boot for several days. Sidelined before camp ended, he never returned to practice. Kent and Howard made the initial 53 in a procedural move and were placed on injured reserve the following day. Neither counts as part of the eight players who can return until and unless Pittsburgh designates them as such.
There’s no guarantee that happens. At least, not anytime soon. Last year, DL Logan Lee spent his entire rookie season on injured reserve before having his window opened very late in the season. Trice presumably has better odds of being returning sooner, though if the Steelers don’t suffer injuries at cornerback, they could continue waiting.
After each player’s window opens, they are allowed to practice. They can be activated from injured reserve to the 53-man roster at any time during that window. By the 21st day, the player must either be activated or spend the rest of the season on injured reserve. Players can be designated up to twice in a single season. NFL rules allow for two more to-return spots for the playoffs and teams are allowed to roll over unused regular-season spots.
After the Browns game, ILB Malik Harrison and QB Skylar Thompson will also be eligible to return. Both were placed on injured reserve following the Steelers’ Week 1 win over the New York Jets.
